Diesel engines power a wide variety of vehicles and equipment used in various underground and mining applications due to their improved safety and efficiency over electrically powered vehicles and equipment. However, diesel engines are not without their disadvantages and there remain several problems that need to be solved before diesel engines can be fully utilized in such environments.
Diesel engines and other mechanical components used in various underground and mining applications generally include high temperature surface portions which may exceed a safety limit for explosion of gasses or fire hazard from coal dust, fuel, oils or other combustible materials present in the underground mine. In order to be certified explosion proof for use in underground or mining applications, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) limits the maximum surface temperature of diesel engines and other mechanical components. However, regulation of such high temperature surface portions of diesel engines and other mechanical components can be difficult inasmuch as MSHA has not approved thermal regulation designs with blankets or insulation.
There are several safety concerns about the use of blankets or insulation for regulating high temperature surfaces of diesel engines and other mechanical components. One issue is inadequate sealing of the blankets or insulation to the engine or other component. Another issue is possible removal or wear of the blankets or insulation previously disposed on the engine or other component. Each of these issues may allow gasses, coal dust, fuel, oils or other combustible materials present in an underground mine to contact hot surfaces. Still another issue is that blankets or insulation only shield, and do not dissipate, heat present at hot surfaces of diesel engines or other mechanical components.